First Aid

Dr.
PRADEEP KODE
Assistant Professor, Department of
Anaesthesiology,
Bhaskar Medical College & General Hospital,
The Encyclopaedia Britannica states First Aid as "measures
to be taken immediately after an accident not with an idea
to cure but in order to prevent further harm being done". It
uses the available human and material resources at the site
of accident to provide initial care to the victim of injury or
sudden illness until more advance care is provided.
First Aid has the following main objectives:
(i) To preserve life
(ii) To prevent the victim's condition from worsening
(iii) To promote recovery
1. To restore and maintain vital functions. The ABC of
basic life support (Airway, Breathing, and
Circulation) are always the first priority.
● Airway must be open so that air containing oxygen
enters the body
● Breathing must take place so that oxygen
passes through
the lungs into the blood stream
●The heart must circulate the oxygen carrying blood
2.To prevent further injury or deterioration.
3. To reassure the victim and make him or her as

comfortable as
Following are the contents of a First Aid
Kit :
 Cotton wool
 Adhesive tape
 Crepe bandage
 Sterile Dressing
 Bandage
 Thermometer
 Scissors
 Glove
 Soap
 Pain reliever
 Antacid
 ORS Packets
This Action Plan is a vital aid to the first aider in assessing
whether the victim has any life-threatening conditions and
if any immediate first aid is necessary. They are DRABC .
D - Check for DANGER

 To you
 To others
 To victim
R - Check RESPONSE
 Is victim conscious?
 Is victim unconscious?
A - Check AIRWAY
 Is airway clear of objects?
 Is airway open?
B - Check for BREATHING

 Is chest rising and falling?
 Can you hear victim's breathing?
 Can you feel the breath on your
cheek?
C - Check for CIRCULATION

 Can you feel a pulse?
 Can you see any obvious signs of

Fainting is a brief loss of consciousness and is the result of
an interference with the function of the brain. There are
many causes of unconsciousness, the most common of
which are: fainting, head injury, epilepsy, stroke, poisoning,
diabetes and conditions associated with lack of oxygen. If
you have seen a person fainting then:
Don’ts :
 Don’t give the patient anything to eat or drink
 Don’t allow the person who has just fainted to get up
until the victim is fully conscious

 If the area is warm, don’t crowd around the victim
Do’s :
 Catch the person before he/she falls
 Pinch the person and see if she moves or
opens her eyes

 Examine the injuries and causes of
unconsciousness
 Tilt head back and keep arms at right angle
to body
 Raise the legs 8 – 12 inches. This promotes
blood flow to the brain.

 Loosen any tight clothing
 Keep the victim warm if it is cold outside
 Keep a record of the casualty’s condition

A burn is damage to the skin caused by contact with
dry heat. It may be caused by fire, flames, steam, hot
liquids, hot metal, sunlight, electricity or chemicals.
The degree of burn varies:
(i)First Degree (Superficial) - Involves only top layer of

the skin and is red and dry and the burn is generally
painful. The area may swell. Most burns are first
degree burns.
(ii)Second degree (Partial - Thickness) - Involves both

the epidermis and dermis. The area is red and
blisters may open and weep fluid, making the skin
appear wet. These types of burns are usually painful
and the area often swells.
(iii)Third Degree (Full Thickness) - Destroys both the

layers of the skin with muscles, bones, blood vessels
Do’s :
 Immediately immerse the burnt area in cool
water or by applying clothes soaked in cool
water.
 Remove jewellery and constrictive
clothing before swelling or blisters
occurs.
 Cover the area with a dry, sterile dressing
and not cotton or other fluffy material.
 Drop, Cover and Roll if caught fire or cover
the person with a blanket immediately
Don’ts :
 Don’t place a burn under extreme water
pressure
Frost- bite occurs when body tissues freeze after exposure
to below
zero temperatures.
The signs and symptoms include white, waxy looking skin that
is firm to the touch but the tissue underneath feels soft and
pain followed by numbness.
Do’s :
 Cover frostbitten toes, ears with warm hands.
 The area affected can be warmed by breathing on them or
placing them in a warm area of
 the body or by dipping the affected area in warm
water (40 degree centigrade).
 Cover the area affected.
Don’ts :
 Do not rub as tiny ice crystals in the tissues may
cause more damage.
 Never rub snow on the area as this may cause further
freezing and do not apply direct heat as this may re-warm
the area too quickly.
Cuts, scrapes and puncture can result in
bleeding. Severe bleeding can be life
threatening. To stop bleeding restore to:
 Direct pressure
 Elevation - Lie victim down and raise the
injured part above the heart and handle

gently if you suspect a fracture.
The blood gets thicker after bleeding for a few
minutes. This is called clotting. Clotting slows
down bleeding. Bandaging is done to stop
bleeding and to stop dirt infecting the wound.
Change the bandage at least once a day and
tetanus injection needs to be taken if required.
Warning :
❑If bleeding from a limb doesn’t stop, apply
pressure with hand to pressure point.
❑If embedded object in wound, apply pressure
either side of wound and place pad around it
before bandaging.
❑ Wear gloves, if possible to guard against
infection
❑ If the victim becomes unconscious, follow
DRABC
Electricity can be very dangerous unless used
with care. When an accident occurs with
electricity, the First Aider must remember that it
is not safe to touch the casualty until the power
has been turned off.
The signs and symptoms include surface and
internal burns and breathing and heart beat
stopped. The best way to treat the person
electrocuted is to cut off the power supply and
remove the victim from the source with non-
conductive material.
Carry out the DRABC exercise and cover the area
affected with clean dressing and send him/her to
Most of the snakes are harmless. Snakebites generally occur
on the limbs and most often on the legs. Always assume the
bite to be from a venomous snake. Suspected snakebite must
be treated with a pressure immobilization bandage.
Do’s :
 Keep the bitten limb below the level of the heart
 Allow the affected area to bleed freely for 15 – 30 seconds
 If the bite is on the limb, apply a firm roller bandage two
inches away from the wound.
 Wash the affected area with soap and disinfect the area
 The bandage should be loose enough for a finger to slip
through
 Constantly check airway, breathing and blood circulation
 Start resuscitation if needed but see to it that there are
no wounds in the mouth.
 Suck it out but do not swallow – spit the venom out.
Rinse your mouth afterwards.
 Shift the patient immediately to the hospital and see to
it that the person is
Wind Wrap the Keep Do not Seek
bandag
the entire the remove medical
fi
ermly around limb, then victim the attentio
the bitten apply a as still bandag n as
arm or leg splint to as e. soon as
starting from prevent possibl possible.
the bite. movement e.
.
Fracture refers to an injury affecting the
skeleton and can be caused by the application
of direct and indirect force. The general signs
and symptoms are:
★ Pain at or near the site of injury

increased by movement.
★ Movement may be difficult or
impossible
★ Swelling and later bruising of the
injured part
Do’s :
★ Check the danger, response, airway,
breathing and the blood circulation of the
victim (DRABC)
★ Always control severe bleeding before
immobilizing any fractures
★ Place sufficient padding to support fracture
site
★ Immobilize fracture sites
★ Do not force bones back into the wound
★ Give proper padding before the patient is
shifted to the hospital
★ Apply ice pack on the affected area to
reduce pain and control swelling
Types of
Fractures
Poisoning is any substance that causes injury,
illness or death when introduced into the body.
There are different types of poisoning:
 Ingested poisons are introduced through the

mouth by eating or drinking poisonous
substances.
 Inhaled poisons are introduced through the
lungs by inhaling industrial gases, fumes from
fire, chemical vapors and petrol and engine
exhaust.
 Absorbed poisons are absorbed through the
skin via contact with poisonous sprays such as
Do’s :
 Check the danger, response, airway,
breathing and the blood circulation of the
victim
 Give milk or water to dilute down the poison
 Monitor vital signs and prevent shock
 Observe the amount and color of vomitus
 Check for foreign matter in his or her mouth

and remove it so that he/she can breath freely
 Place the patient in the recovery
position and wait for medical assistance.
 Send to hospital
Don’ts :
 Don’t induce vomiting.
It strikes suddenly with very little warning. When the
body's cooling system fails, the body temperature
rises fast. This creates an emergency condition.
The signs are: the temperature of the body is very
high, hot and dry. The skin is red with no sweating
and fast pulse rate, dilated pupils, confusion and
sometimes there might be loss of consciousness.
Do’s :
 Lower the body temperature by
removing/loosing the clothing or fanning the
person.
 Put ice pack or cold compresses to the neck,
under the armpits and to the groin area.
 Drink lots of fluid and those who perspire more
should drink as much fluid as possible.
ORS has been a lifesaver in
case of dehydration (loss of
salt and water in the body).
ORS is prepared by
dissolving a pinch of salt in a
glass of water (the amount of
salt added should just be
enough for the water to taste
like tear drops) and one
tablespoon of sugar to it.
ORS helps in restoring back
the electrolyte balance of our
body and re-hydrate it.
The aim of First Aid in case of dog bite is to prevent
rabies, to reduce the risk of infection and to get
medical aid as soon as possible.
Do’s :
★ Wipe the saliva away from the wound using a
clean cloth or handkerchief.
★ Do not come in contact with the saliva that
gets wiped away.
★ Wash the wound thoroughly with plenty of
soap and water.
★ Cover the wound with a dry, sterile dressing.
★ Get medical aid or send the patient to the
hospital as soon as possible.
THANK
YOU

First Aid

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

First Aid

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

First Aid

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Dr.

2.To prevent further injury or deterioration.

3. To reassure the victim and make him or her as

D - Check for DANGER

B - Check for BREATHING

 Can you hear victim's breathing?

 Can you feel the breath on your

C - Check for CIRCULATION

 Can you see any obvious signs of

 Don’t allow the person who has just fainted to get up

until the victim is fully conscious

 Pinch the person and see if she moves or

opens her eyes

blood flow to the brain.

 Keep the victim warm if it is cold outside

 Keep a record of the casualty’s condition

(i)First Degree (Superficial) - Involves only top layer of

(ii)Second degree (Partial - Thickness) - Involves both

(iii)Third Degree (Full Thickness) - Destroys both the

 Elevation - Lie victim down and raise the

injured part above the heart and handle

★ Pain at or near the site of injury

 Ingested poisons are introduced through the

 Monitor vital signs and prevent shock

 Observe the amount and color of vomitus

 Check for foreign matter in his or her mouth

You might also like